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My blog will share creative ideas to raise standards across the curriculum using technology. Mr P provides inset, keynotes and training to schools internationally looking for innovative ideas to engage, inspire and transform learning. Training is delivered by a real teacher with real ideas for using tech to enhance learning across the curriculum. For more info please email davyhulme.ipad@gmail.com.

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One Second Everyday - A positive reflection tool for you and your class!

A week ago I came across a news article that caught my eye. It featured Cesar Kuriyama, who saved up enough money to quit his advertising job at the age of 30, and planned to take a year off to travel and spend time with family.

To document the year, Kuriyama filmed one second of video every day. The impact this had changed his outlook on life forever. You can watch the report here.

It got me thinking about how I could use this in school. Would it have the same impact on myself as a teacher and my children as it did with Cesar?

The way "1 second everyday" works is that you record 1 but no more than 2 seconds each day of absolutely anything, so that when you put the days together you would have a 7/15 second video of a week, a minute video for a half term or a 5 minute video for the school year.

How can it impact on your teaching?

Well, as Cesar says "self reflection is never a bad thing," which is always an important message for teachers. Can you go a week, half term, year without repeating the same video? Can you always provide an opportunity to capture a special moment each day you teach? Could it be used to record achievements of all your children in the class, regardless of ability? Would you use it to record your class' learning journey? or as a way of documenting successful lessons so you always remember them? It is a task that would definitely make you conscious of your approach in the classroom yet one that would provide a wonderful opportunity to reflect and remind yourself of the great lessons/moments you grant as a teacher.

Watching back after a term or even a year it would also remind you of the incredible journey you (as a teacher) take and the journey and development your class go on. I think it would be a fantastic way of providing a unique and special keepsake for all your children at the end of the year.

The beauty is that just one second can trigger a memory that would otherwise stay at the back of our minds. As a teacher can you remember every lesson of everyday you teach? I definitely can't but using this approach I would always be able to remind myself of those moments that may only have remained a distant memory. I would have it documented forever.As a class teacher it would be a perfect way to discuss with your class and reflect on the day. You could record a few snippets through the day and as a class decide which one you would use. After a recent conversation with another teacher we said how amazing would it be if a class were recorded in Reception and every year throughout the school leading to a 20minute video showing everyday of their Primary Education! The potential is amazing!

There are different ways in which you can record your one second everyday video. First would be to video yourself and then edit it using iMovie or similar software. Problem - far too time consuming. There are iPhone/iPad apps that do all the editing for you:

The app 1 second everyday is the official app from Cesar Kuriyama. The app is 69p and has a calendar to keep track of your videos and allow you to make a video from any given point. You can then export them to a number of different outlets including Facebook and YouTube.

Life in Seconds - Free - Very similar to One Second Everyday - The only downside to this app at the minute is that it doesn't record sound which I feel is so crucial with this idea as sound plays such an important role in reminding us of special times and occasions. I do think that they are trying to change this as soon as possible.

So a lot has been said about New Year's resolutions and nothing could be more effective on your teaching in the classroom than using the "One Second Everyday," approach. Stay tuned to see how I use it both personally and professionally and the impact it has...UPDATED JULY 2013: I have now shared this idea at a couple of recent Teachmeets. Here is my presentation from TeachMeet EastLancs:

Here is my presentation at Teachmeet Wirral:JULY 2013 - UPDATED!!! Well I have done it, two terms all in 2 minutes! I can confidently say it has had a massive impact on me as a teacher. I start everyday thinking what moments will I create. I am constantly looking for moments to capture and I now have a video forever that captures some amazing moments that remind me I am in the best job in the world!APRIL 2013 - UPDATED!!!! Here is my first term - roughly 9/10 weeks since January, finishing at Easter - lots of great memories, some enjoyable lessons, assemblies, Easter performances, after school activities, sporting fixtures! Never forgotten now, always remembered - see what you think:

Feb 2013 - UPDATED!!!! I have now completed my first half term - 5 weeks in 30 seconds! All my colleagues loved this video when I shared it and think it is a great way to document my teaching and keep particular moments kept forever! See what you think:

Jan 2013 - So my first week! I did it! Filmed as many snippets of lessons and chose one for everyday. Does it make you reflect? Yes! Does it remind you of the special moments within a lesson? Yes! You may watch it and think, it is 5 seconds of very little, but to me it holds memories of some great moments in my role.
Monday - My girls football team competing at a local league meeting. They won 2, drew 2 and lost 1, which should move them second in the league.Tuesday - Using Angry Birds as a stimulus in Literacy and Numeracy and making great perspective pictures.Wednesday - Having a year 4 class in stitches as they used the app Mad Libs to make a silly story.Thursday - Training the Skittleball team in the freezing cold in preparation for a local tournament. Their skills constantly improving and confidence building.Friday - A dance lesson in Year 1 where the children learnt more about Native American culture, me being blown away by their imagination and creativity!Nothing spectacular but a week I will never forget. The prospect of having a whole year documented in five minutes that would give you personal memories and trigger specific events is fantastic. I recommend this for any teacher who wants to be able to reflect and remember all the wonderful moments the job of teaching provides.

For all those interested here is Cesar Kuriyama's original video that documents a year in his life:

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